Our son Rowan left this world December 15th, 2016 at the age of ten years old. In those 10 years, he spent a third of his life in the hospital including his last 6 months, as he went through 2 bone marrow transplants in a row. He taught us so many lessons through his life long battle though. He was tough as nails, with a heart of gold, and the faith of 100 men combined. Not a day went by that he didn't say "I love my life!" And he truly meant it.

"Our Little Trooper"

"Let me live, that I may praise you!" Psalm 119:175

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

In the hospital or at home, the holidays will forever be in our hearts.

As you know, Rowan spent Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and the better part of New Year's Day all in Pedi ICU in San Antonio. We made the most of the situation, as usual. Santa still found Rowan on Christmas Eve, and filled his room with Christmas presents. Brian, Zoe and Ian came up to visit 3 days in a row, in an attempt to celebrate Christmas with Rowan and I. Unfortunately though, he didn't feel well enough to even wake up most of those days. We finally made the decision as a family, to have Brian take Rowan's presents home and put them under our Christmas tree there. We promised each other that we would celebrate all 4 holidays (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Years Day) once Rowan was discharged and we were all back home together again. We did just that...and it was fabulous! Here are some pictures of those recent holidays...first in the hospital, and then again, at home. As I said, we did the best we could. As you look at the photos, I think you'll agree...we definitely made memories:)

Christmas in the hospital:

New Year's Eve in the hospital:

(We wrote down our resolutions with a couple of Rowan's nurses just before midnight:)

And here he is New Year's Day getting ready to go home...at last.

At home:

(Since we got home late in the afternoon on New Year's Day, we decided to have all 4 celebrations within a 24 hour period, but out of order.)

First, we started with a New Years Day feast:

Second, after it got dark, we had a New Year's Eve Countdown complete with decorations, noisemakers, firecrackers...and bubble wrap:

Third, after the NYE countdown, it was Christmas Eve:

Fourth, and final, we went to bed and woke up to celebrate Christmas morning:

It wasn't ideal, it wasn't perfect, and it certainly wasn't a Norman Rockwell Christmas. For instance, Rowan had a hard time recovering and coming off of all of the steroids for the first few days home.

And I came home to both the washer and the dryer broken, so I spent all day Sunday at the laundromat doing 11 loads of clothes, towels and blankets.

But you know what I came home to afterwards? This...

...so it made everything right again...the family together, at home, with Rowan . Holidays or any days...those are moments we treasure most.

...and waking up to this beautiful boy asleep in his own bed the past few days...priceless!

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In Memory of Rowan's 11th Birthday

*Click the link above to purchase a gift in memory of Rowan's 11th birthday.*

In memory of Rowan's 11th birthday, July 21, we are hosting a virtual birthday party to benefit Methodist Children's Hospital (MCH) in San Antonio, where Rowan spent much of his childhood battling for his life. All gifts purchased through this registry will be delivered in person to MCH on Rowan's birthday, July 21, 2017. The toys will be donated to the Child Life Department at MCH and placed in the new play rooms at MCH for many pediatric patients to enjoy during their hospitalizations. The toys on this registry represent a few of Rowan's favorite things. We all know Rowan had such a huge heart for giving and making the good, so this party in his memory is a way of carrying out his legacy by celebrating and doing the things that mattered most to him. Thank you for being a part of carrying out Rowan's legacy, making the good, and honoring Rowan's powerful life while remembering his 11th birthday on July 21, 2017.

On top of the Mountain...

Rowan climbed...rather he ran, to the top of Enchanted Rock this past Summer, just a few weeks after getting out of the hospital again. Our hero!

Just a little of the hardware...hidden under his gown.

Rowan has a g-tube in his stomach for feedings, a broviac central iv line in his chest for nightly intravenous feedings and medicines, and a vp shunt in his head to drain excess spinal fluid from his brain into his abdomen.

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In ICU, post vp shunt surgery...precious angel.

In October of 2010, Rowan started having severe headaches again. He had two spinal taps, just three days apart due to increased cranial pressures (double or triple what they should be). They removed over 55 ccs of excess spinal fluid trying to relieve his headaches. Eventually, when the pain was just too severe and his pressures weren't coming down, he finally had to have a vp shunt placed. When he woke up the next day, he told one of the doctors that he would give him a free autograph for helping get rid of his headaches. A couple days later, he made a sign for me to put in the window of his hospital room, that he says said "Open for business. Autographs $15. Free drink with purchase".

Another battle wound...this one from his Chiari malformation brain surgery.

In January of 2009, Rowan had craniectomy/laminectomy surgery to correct a brain malformation that was obstructing his flow of spinal fluid and causing headaches and other neurological symptoms. They removed a small piece of the base of his skull, shrunk up the bottom portion of his brain, and removed part of his C1 and C2 vertebrae to free up space for the spinal fluid to flow. When we told Rowan that he would be going in to the hospital to get his brain fixed, he thought for a minute and then said, "Will I see Logan (favorite nurse) and can I eat baby ice cubes when I wake up?" When we said yes, he simply said "Ok, Let's do it!"